Foodie Things to Do This Weekend and Beyond

January 23, 24 and 26 to 31: Center City District Restaurant Week in Philadelphia. Visit Philly’s Center City enjoy lunch or dinner at one of more than 100 participating restaurants. Participating restaurants will offer three-course dinners for $35 per person, and many participating restaurants will offer a three-course lunch for $20 per person. Additional information is available at Center City District’s website, on the Center City District mobile website, and through Facebook and Twitter. Reservations can be made through OpenTable.

January 23, 24: Haddon Heights’ Taste of the Town is back. Enjoy a two-course lunch or three-course dinner at Anthony’s, Elements or Kunkel’s. Lunches: $10 per person. Dinners are $25 per person.

January 23: The 10th Annual Exit Zero Burns Supper will be taking place once again at The Ugly Mug in Cape May. Celebrate Scotland’s favorite poet with haggis, fish and chips and the reading of poems written by Robert Burns. The supper is from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and the cost is $35. Tickets can be purchased online. The Ugly Mug, 426 Washington Street, Cape May, 609-884-3459.

January 25: High Street Grill’s Winter Beer Fest 2014 will allow guests to sample more than 40 craft beers from over 20 different breweries, including Carton, Firestone, Goose Island, Heavy Seas, Yards, Great Lakes, Allagash, Founders, Troegs, Lagunitas and more. Meet local craft brewers at their homebrew corner and snack on High Street Grill food. Sessions are from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Call 609-265-9199 or email [email protected] to purchase your ticket. 64 High Street, Mount Holly.

January 25: Stick around after Beer Fest for the High Street Grill’s 9th Annual Celebration of Scotland’s beloved poet Robert Burns with an evening of poetry, pipes, haggis, and scotch. Cater 2 U has created a delectable traditional menu that has been carefully paired with Handcrafted Ales in the Scottish tradition, along with some very fine Single Malts. The celebration will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. 64 High St, Mount Holly.

January 25: The British Chip Shop in Haddonfield will celebrate Robert Burns Night in true Scottish fashion, with Haggis, Bagpipes and Scotch Whiskey from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The price is $25 for a three-course meal consisting of Cock-A-Leekie soup, Haggis, ‘Neeps n’ Tatties and Whiskey Trifle for dessert. British Chip Shop, 146 Kings Hwy East, Haddonfield, 856-354-0204.

January 25: The 3rd Asbury Park Beerfest. There will be two Beerfest sessions: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Single-session ticket prices are $35 in advance and $40 at the door plus applicable service charges (21 and up only). For 12 p.m. session tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00004B85CD5E45EA For 6p.m. session tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00004B85D22A5134. Convention Hall on the Asbury Park Boardwalk, 1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park.

January 25: Homebrewers and Professional Craft Brewers will come together in support of Autism Awareness at Snug Harbor’s Great Hall, Staten Island, NY from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guests pay $65 to attend Brew for Autism and will be able to enjoy a selection of beer samples provided by local breweries and homebrewers from the 5 boroughs and other neighboring cities. All proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks. Tickets can be purchased in advanced here. 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY.

January 25: Natali Vineyards is hosting their 6th Annual Kick the Winter Blues Wine Event from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Local crafts and food specialties will be on display. Enjoy wine by the glass or bottle, have a heated Sangria or do a tasting of 5 of our wines, and sway to the rhythm of “Rainy Night in Georgia” and other blues classics under heated tents. Admission is free. Natali Vineyards, 221 North Delsea Drive, (North Route 47) Cape May Courthouse, 609-465-0075.

January 25: Enjoy a fun night with great food, drinks and exciting live and silent auctions at Footballs for Food Charity Auction in Rutherford. Advance tickets are $25, tickets purchased at the door are $30. Tickets can be purchased here. The Rutherford Elks Lodge, 48 Ames Ave., Rutherford.

January 26: Get your cheese on for Hoboken’s Mutzfest! From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elks Club in Hoboken, taste and vote for the best mozzarella in town. Participants include M&P Biancamano (reigning champs!), Fran’s Deli, Gigi’s Rosticeria, Littletown, NJ, Losurdo Bros. Deli and Vito’s Deli. Guests will also enjoy a Frank Sinatra sing-along contest, a cannoli-eating contest (with fresh cannoli cream from Gior- gio’s Bakery), a raffle prize for a trip to Italy, desserts, beer and wine. Tickets can be purchased at mutzfest.com. Kids 12 and under are free. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hoboken Family Alliance philanthropic efforts. 1005 Washington Street, Hoboken.

January 26: Come to Steve & Cookies by the Bay to experience Chef Kevin Kelly’s wonderful Winter Feast menu. Cocktail hour is from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dinner will be a four-course meal beginning at 6 p.m. $60 per person ($55 for members of Slow Food USA). To make your reservation call 609-823-1163. 9700 Amherst Ave, Margate City.

January 26: Join the Sunday Gravy Cooking Challenge from noon to 3 p.m. at Dearborn Market. Entry fees of $20 benefit Bridges Outreach and all participants receive a $10 gift card for ingredients. The winning recipe will receive a $100 Dearborn Market Gift Card, an official Trophy, and have their winning recipe featured in Dearborn’s March Almanac. All customers are invited to sample the entries and vote for their favorite in Dearborn’s Customer Choice Award on Sunday! The event will be held in Dearborn’s 11,000 square foot greenhouse. Dearborn Market Fine Food & Garden Center, 2170 Route 35, Holmdel Township, 732-264-0256.

January 26: Just in time for the biggest sporting event of all, Chef Jesse Jones, a Fairway Market cooking consultant, will demonstrate how to prepare a “Super Bowl” of healthier turkey and chicken chili for Fairway customers in the Paramus store from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The free demo will include a sampling and a Q & A. Fairway Market, Fashion Center Mall, Route 17, Paramus. For more info about Chef Jesse, check out our recent Chef Spotlight.

AND BEYOND:

January 28: Mount Laurel Township is hosting its 5th annual “Taste of Mount Laurel” from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Only local businesses will be set up so come and sample some of the finest local cuisine. To pre-register, contact Evan Newlin at 856-234 0001 ext: 1220, or [email protected] The event will be held at Hartford Middle School, 397 Hartford Road, Mount Laurel.

January 28: Join Orange & Olive Caterer’s for the launch of their first hands-on cooking class, “Cook & Dine (Just add Wine)” from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. During the lesson, guests will make and eat a four-course, winter-themed dinner. Space is available on a first come, first serve basis. Registration is required (register here) or by calling 866-247-2520. Orange & Olive Caterers, 398 Central Ave., Jersey City.

January 29: Chakra will highlight the unique and acclaimed wines of Nino Negri from the Valtellina region of Italy at its next wine dinner on Wednesday, January 29, at 6:30 p.m. This event will be a treat for wine lovers looking to try wines that are still rare finds in the U.S. The wine dinner is $78, inclusive of food and wine (tax and gratuity additional). For more information or to make reservations, call 201-556-1530. Chakra,144 W State Route 4, Paramus.

January 30:Botto’s Italian Line Restaurant in Swedesboro is throwing a Pre-Super Bowl Beer Dinner featuring the beers of Goose Island. Expect an assortment of Botto’s famous sausages to be served as well. The dinner starts at 7 p.m. and costs $30 per person.Botto’s Italian Line Restaurant,1141 Kings Highway, Swedesboro, 856-467-1570.

January 30: 2nd Annual Tasting Event to Benefit Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts… Continuing the Recovery! Wine and spirits distributor R&R Marketing and Townsquare Media will present the 2nd Annual Restore the Shore Tasting on Thursday, January 30, at 6 p.m. The event will include samples of more than 50 wine and spirit brands from around the world, a selection of cuisine by the culinary team at Eagle Oaks Country Club, live music from the local popular band Daddy Pop and a silent auction. Admission and auction proceeds will help families affected by Superstorm Sandy through Hometown Heroes, a 501c3 organization. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 at the door. Eagle Oaks Country Club, 20 Shore Oaks Dr., Farmingdale.

January 30: Celebrate Super Bowl Week while making a difference in the fight against cancer at Females, Football & Philanthropy 2014. The event, which includes VIP arrivals at 6 p.m. followed by the main event from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., will feature a cocktail dinner and tailgate, wellness lounge, boutique shopping, silent auction, martini bar, and more. Click here for ticket information. Upper Montclair Country Club, 177 Hepburn Road, Clifton.

January 30 to February 1: Come to Buchmuller Park in Secaucus for the Winter Blast, featuring award-winning food trucks, open ice skating and ice hockey games, great shopping at Vendor Village and live music, giveaways and prizes. Some of the 30 specialty food trucks include Empanada Guy, Thai Elephant, and Polkadot Cupcake Shop. One-day adult passes are $15 and family four-packs are $35 at the entrance. Click here for event times and additional information. Click here to purchase tickets in advance and save $5. 1203 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus.

February 4: For the 3rd year in a row, Chef Bennett lets us into his world of chocolate mastery at the Classic Cake Academy. Come at 7 p.m. to watch, learn and taste handcrafted artisan sweetness. Sign up in store, or by calling 856-751 5448 or by emailing [email protected]480 Evesham Road, Cherry Hill.

February 5: Flying Fish Beer Dinner at Atlantic City Bottle Company from 6-8 p.m. Four courses will be paired with four fantastic Flying Fish beers for only $50 per person! For more information on Atlantic City Bottle Company or to make reservations, call 609-348-6400 or visit www.acbottlecompany.com.

February 7:Old Homestead Steakhouse at the Borgata in Atlantic City will host a Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Dinner as part of the Savor Borgata Culinary Series. The meet-and-greet portion of the evening starts at 7:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 8 p.m. $199 per person. Old Homestead Steakhouse, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, 609-317-1000.

February 7: Participate in Bordentown’s Chocolate Walk from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Score a piece of chocolate or a… wait for it… chocolate-tini. Print your passport and visit the shops and galleries. When you’re all done, you can enter your signed passport into a drawing for $50 in Bordentown Bucks. Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown.

February 8 to 15: It’s bacon! Actually, it’s Bacon Week at Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City. All of the restaurants and bars located at Tropicana will be in on the act, providing a multitude of ways to enjoy bacon, from cocktails to entrees to dessert. Tropicana Casino & Resort, 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, 800-345-8767.

February 15: The Big Beer Brew Festival is returning to the Morristown Armory and will feature more than 250 craft beer tastings. VIP ticket holders will enjoy another 25 special and rare beers, an extra hour of tasting per session and a gourmet buffet presented by Morris Tap and Grill of Randolph with menu designed by Food Network Chopped Champion (and Morris Tap & Grill Chef and partner) Chef Eric LeVine. The first session begins at 1 p.m. and the second begins at 7 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets. For a list of participating breweries, click here. Go to bigbeerbrewfestival.com or Facebook for updates. Morristown Armory, 430 Western Ave., Morristown.

February 19: Restaurateur and philanthropist Marilyn Schlossbach’s 3rd annual “Cooking with Marilyn” series of cooking demonstrations at Langosta Lounge continues. The theme is “Italian Entertaining” and $10 of every ticket will be donated to the Junior League of Monmouth County. These events sell out quickly, so please call 732-455-3275 to reserve.

March 8 and 9: Bergen County-based Giants of Generosity will sponsor a Celebrity Food and Wine Show. Funds will be raised by the charitable organization to help needy families and individuals throughout Bergen County. Featured guests are celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan, author, restaurateur, and a judge on the Food Network’s Chopped, and chef Guy Mitchell, producer of the White House Chef Tours. $75 per person. Clinton Inn Hotel, 145 Dean Drive, Tenafly. Purchase your tickets here.

March 13: Tickets are now on sale for Atlantic Cape Community College’s 31st Annual Restaurant Gala on March 13 at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino. With the theme of “The Greatest Gala on Earth,” the event will celebrate food with hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and the house specialties of 40 of the area’s best restaurants at a progressive dining experience. An elegant dessert reception, co-organized by Chef Deborah Pellegrino of Caesars Entertainment and Chef Tree McCann of the Academy of Culinary Arts, will complete the evening’s festivities. Live music will include Don’t Call Me Francis, The FM Band and Lenny Mitchell. Performance ice sculptor Peter Slavin, an Academy of Culinary Arts graduate and owner of Fear No Ice Philly, will take the stage during the cocktail reception. The event has raised nearly $3 million for scholarships since 1984. All Gala proceeds benefit student scholarships at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College and Atlantic Cape Foundation operations.For more information, contact Torrina Bennett-Michael at (609) 463-4672, [email protected] or visit www.atlantic.edu/gala.Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino, 1901 Boardwalk, Atlantic City.